I have some
mixed feelings about the Loving Kindness exercise. I had a hard time being able to observe my
thoughts and feelings and I found that I easily went off on to a mental
tangent. I enjoyed building the feeling
of loving kindness inside myself. It was
also easy for me to breathe in a loved one’s pain and suffering and exhale love
and security for them. I felt like it
was almost like a prayer for them. Both
my dad and brother are going through some tough times and I really liked
sending them some positive vibes! When I
was trying to complete the exercise for others around me and then all of the
people in the world I felt a bit of a disconnect. I am familiar with my family and what they
are feeling. I found it hard to feel the
pain and suffering of others because I don’t know specifically what their pain
is coming from so it makes it harder for me to connect. I think that it is an interesting exercise
and I feel that it was a bit harder than the relaxation exercises. I would recommend the exercise to others that
would be interested.
The concept
of a mental workout is to consistently train your brain to focus on certain
things, using different visualization techniques and controlling your thought
process. The research on contemplative
practice shows that with consistent training you can have a positive impact on different
mental functions like attention, perception and memory (Dacher, 2006). The way that you can implement mental
workouts in to your life is the same way you implement physical workouts. If you make it a choice to improve your
mental or physical wellbeing you need to make it a priority and schedule a time
every day to include it in your routine.
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to
human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
Hey Lindsey, I share your opinion on it being difficult to take on the suffering of people when you do not have an intimate connection with them or know what their source of distress is. We tend to pray more passionately for those we have personal life connection with according to the Consciousness and Healing text. To me Prayer is definitely an act of love that brings more power to result in change than any other act we can do. If you don't mind me asking, what is your dad and brother dealing with currently? I could stand in prayer for them if you'd like.
ReplyDeleteHi Lindsey, great post. Understandable how it's difficult to take on the suffering of others when they're not personally known. However, I believe it's possible to show great empathy for a situation regardless of who it is due to the fact of taking the situation and putting it in a perspective that would affect your own life. For example, the Boston Explosions, while I cannot fathom what those affected by it are feeling, I have family that run marathons, and I couldn't imagine losing them, and then have instant empathy for the families with children as I couldn't imagine my child not having a parent due to the acts of violence. While it may be difficult to give the love you wanted to those you do not know, maybe implementing the ideas into your own life can make it more easily relatable.
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